Legal Topics

A non-compete agreement is a type of “restrictive covenant” generally used by employers to limit an employee’s freedom to pursue a similar profession if and when the employment relationship ends. The non-compete is one of a variety of contracts or agreements an employee may be asked to sign by his or her employer, and these...

When passing the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 (“WPA”), Congress stated that the intent of the legislation “was to strengthen and improve protection for the rights of Federal employees, to prevent reprisals, and to help eliminate wrongdoing within the Government.” The Act protects most federal executive branch...

The Troubled Asset Relief Program (“TARP”), also commonly referred to as “the bailout,” came amidst perhaps the most serious banking and mortgage crisis in the country’s history. While the debate continues over the success and wisdom of the measures taken by the government to prevent the collapse of the financial industry, one...

In response to the accounting scandals at Enron and Worldcom that caused huge losses to shareholders and spawned a crisis in investor confidence, the U.S. Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002. “SOX,” as it is popularly known, requires publicly traded companies to make certifications about their financial conditions,...

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed into law by President Barack Obama on February 17, 2009, provided an unprecedented $787 billion federal spending package intended to stimulate the flagging U.S. economy. Congress included important provisions in the bill to ensure oversight and accountability of the...

In August 2007, President Bush signed The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (“9/11 Act”). The 9/11 Act included amendments to the Federal Rail Safety Act (“FRSA”), 49 U.S.C. § 20109, which was designed to enhance and protect railroad safety. The amendments sought to expand whistleblower...

In August 2007, President Bush signed The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 (“9/11 Act”). The 9/11 Act includes The National Transit Systems Security Act of 2007(“NTSSA”), which provides whistleblower protections to public transportation employees.

Following decades of opposition from environmental groups and communities concerned about the risks of nuclear power, the U.S. nuclear industry in mid-2007 is preparing for its largest expansion since the 1960s. Worry about oil shortages and global warming is prompting legislators and regulators to call for reducing the...

Businesses can legitimately maximize their profits by minimizing their tax liability. When they violate the law by paying less than their fair share, however, other taxpayers have to pick cover the shortfall, and all taxpayers suffer. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has instituted a strong whistleblower reward program...